The present invention relates to decorative laminates and in particular to metallized decorative laminates.
Resilient flooring coverings, which include for example vinyl tiles and vinyl sheet, are often used as decorative surface coverings. Decorative surface coverings can be made from composite materials which comprise a transparent or translucent wear (upper) layer, a decorative layer such as a printed patterned layer and one or more backing (lower) layers. The wear layer of a resilient vinyl floor covering can comprise PVC compositions, which can include PVC film, which can be back printed with a pattern. Additionally, other polymer films or transparent layers can be used depending upon product construction. The decorative layer can comprise patterns of any type, which can include printed designs or chip containing layers. A backing layer adjacent such a printed patterned layer commonly contains one or more white or other colored pigments to enhance the appearance of the printed patterned layer as seen through the wear layer. When the resilient floor covering is a tile product, this type of backing layer may be called a face ply.
In the formation of various decorative surface coverings it has been desirable to provide a reflective surface covering. Typically, the reflective surface covering comprises a metal film. Various methods have been suggested for producing a decorative surface covering containing reflective elements. One such method is the lamination of a metallized mylar sheet to a backing, printing a design on the surface of the metallized sheet and then applying a transparent top coating. Another method has been the application of an adhesive to portions of a backing sheet, applying metallic chips onto the sheet and then covering with a transparent top coating. The difficulty in such processes is obtaining good adhesion between the top layer and backing layer with the metallized areas. Further, aging or continued stressing in use causes a weakening or complete destruction of adhesion.
What is desired is a laminated metallized flooring that may have a printed pattern and/or a subsurface embossed design on a continuous metallized film that promotes good adhesion between the film and the other components of the laminate structure.
The present product and method relate to a metallized decorative laminate. The metallized laminate comprises a substrate having at least two laminated films, wherein one of the films is a metallized vinyl film. The method comprises a dual film process of forming the metallized laminate. The process may be continuous.
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing the metallized decorative laminate comprises the steps of laminating a substrate, a metallized film and a second film to form a metallized laminate. Essentially, the metallized film can be laminated to the substrate to form a laminated face and then the second film can be laminated to the laminated face. Typically, the laminated metallized film comprises a vinyl film, a thin metal layer and a key coating. The thin metal layer is typically vacuum deposited onto the vinyl film. Furthermore, the metallized film may be mechanically embossed with an embossed design such that the thin metal layer is textured during lamination. A printed design may also be printed on the backside of the second film.
In another embodiment, the metallized film is mechanically embossed prior to lamination to the substrate and the second film. Optionally, the mechanically embossing of the metallized film can be done after lamination to the substrate, but before the lamination of the second layer.
The metallized decorative laminate may comprise a substrate having a facing side, a metallized film laminated to the facing side of the substrate and a second film laminated to the metallized film.
In one embodiment, the metallized film comprises a vinyl film having a thickness between about 1 mil to about 10 mils and a metal layer having a thickness between about 0.2 microns to about 30 microns which is vacuum deposited onto the vinyl film. A key coating may also be applied to the metal side of the metallized film. Additionally, the metallized film may have a mechanically embossed image imparted to its surface. The second film can include a printed pattern, and a surface texture may be embossed in register onto the metallized laminate in register with the printed pattern. Furthermore, the second film may have a protective top coat.